Michael Cole Credits Triple H, Lee Fitting For Allowing Announcers To Be Themselves

Michael Cole says that Triple H and Lee Fitting have allowed announcers to show more of their personality on WWE TV. The announcer spoke about the matter on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast and contrasted his work under Vince McMahon with his more recent work, noting that Triple H and Fitting changed this up quite a bit.

“Vince was very heavy-handed and controlled; it was his company and sandbox,” Cole said (h/t to Fightful). “I was never really able to break out and be myself with the exception of the little heel run I had over a decade ago. When Vince left and Triple H was in charge. He really changed things. Then, we brought in Lee Fitting, who came from ESPN. Lee coming from ESPN, where the talent is the announcer, he came here and said, ‘I don’t understand why our guys at the desk aren’t bigger and have bigger personas and are as respected as the people in the ring.’”

He continued, “Being old school, I understand that the people in the ring are the ones who put their bodies on the line each week and people are buying tickets to see Roman Reigns, not Michael Cole. But we’re a very important part of the product. What Lee and Paul [Triple H] have allowed us to do is bring our personalities out. You’re seeing the real Michael Cole now. I’m a sarcastic prick at times. I like to have fun. Pat called me the other day, I’m the old white dude and he’s the young punk. Working with Pat is unbelievable. Pat is Pat. He doesn’t change or put on a show. He’s Pat McAfee with everything that he does. We hit it off from the beginning. It’s like two guys at the bar watching wrestling. Pat doesn’t try to be a wrestling announcer. I think that’s what makes him different.”

Cole is the play-by-plan man on Raw.